Into the Clouds
by Zyii
Summary: Loosely a Dramione. A plot bunny from a while ago. A short story of confusion, emotions and acceptance.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, I merely play in the sandbox and make up stories.

**Into the Clouds**

The School Part 1

_Hogwarts Castle, a momentous building that had magical folk for miles around sighing in delight. The stories the Castle could tell you would boggle your mind. Why then are their feelings of emptiness in the air? Why are the faces of those since gone appearing down the hallways? Why are two enemies bound to meet? _

The school looked serene and calm. The halls were empty as were the classrooms and the house towers. The Castle stood strong, the sun just peeking out above the turrets. She walked down the hallway, nose buried in a book as usual. The silence didn't bother her for she enjoyed the reprieve from the usual hustle and bustle of everyday life. She enjoyed the peace her mind got. She didn't care for life outside learning for it was unimportant to her.

Hermione Granger fought for her way of life. She was constantly trying to better herself. She wanted to be the best at everything academically and that would always be her biggest strength and weakness.

She wasn't watching where she was going for the book she was reading was far too interesting. How could she focus on anything else when there was something new to be learnt?

She collided with someone and fell to the floor. The book flew up behind her and landed with a thud on the floor. She began to apologise by as her gaze travelled upwards she realised the person who she'd bumped into was a person who would knock her down again if they had the chance.

The face was sneering, the eyes were cold. The posture was that of a perfect pureblood.

"Hello mudblood."

She cringed and recoiled. So many years of that word and it still left a sting in her heart. However much she convinced herself that his haunts didn't matter, he always found a way to get under her skin. She was afraid that her emotions would always get the better of her.

"No, don't get up, you're finally on the floor where you belong."

She didn't reply but gritted her teeth and began to stand. Far be it for her to let Malfoy have his way.

"You should have stayed on the floor Granger."

"Is that all Malfoy? Your childish words leave no mark on me."

His face that was always devoid of emotion watched her intently before saying, "you lie Granger. My words will always hurt you as they touch that tainted skin of yours."

She stood still as he strode away from her acting every inch the arrogant pureblood that he was. Hermione mentally got herself together again and silently berated herself for letting him get to her in the first place.

-x-x-x-

The Lake Part 2

_The black Lake was used more as a place to take a date or a place to hang out with friends more than it was used as a place to come and relax. While Hermione uses it as a place to find solitude, Draco uses it as a place to seek relief from. When two enemies seek comfort from the same place what trouble will follow them? _

He came to get away from all the silence. His decisions in life weighed heavily on his conscious. Yet he didn't think he would have the courage to do things differently, not when his own life and the lives of his family were at state. Though many things hadn't worked out in life, he couldn't allow his family to die if he had any change of stopping it.

Let's face it, he didn't have the best family but then who did? His parents were vicious, wealthy and tied to society and tradition but they were his parents and through all the bad decisions they'd made, they'd only wanted what was best for their son.

Still his mind was troubled and the voices inside tormented him with words of his past. They stomped on his doubts and fears making him more paranoid and more jumpy. Sometimes he hated his Father for what he'd put the family through but at other times he couldn't imagine his Father taking any other path than the one he had. Draco didn't feel his actions had been wrong but he felt angry that he was not able to change the course his life was on.

The lake was calm, clear and silent. It washed away his fears and the voices till he could lie calmly upon the soft ground. He closed his eyes and took in the silence and peace that filled him.

[x]

She didn't realise anyone else had sought solitude at the lake. She couldn't find Harry or Ron so she'd decided to indulge her reading by taking a book outside and sitting by the peaceful lake.

Reading at the lake was her favourite pastime. It was sunny today,the light reflecting off the water and hanging thickly around the area. She felt her cloths soak up the sun's rays and she felt content.

Opening her book she felt more than ready to immerse herself in another world until she heard a very familiar cough and was met with two angry silver eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he spat.

"It's a free country and I have a book I wanted to read out here."

"Can't you read somewhere else?"

"I could but I would like to read here."

"Your filthy blood is contaminating the air and making me feel sick!"

"Then you leave."

"I was here first mudblood."

She sighed, she'd long since accepted that the routine they had would never change but some part of her always wished that they could meet without the derogatory insults.

"Couldn't find any friends Granger? They all realise how dirty and replaceable you are?"

Sometimes it wasn't worth the effort. She got up with her book and stormed away. She went in search of her own peace and quiet and left the arrogant and snarky blond haired wizard alone.

-x-x-x-

The Village Part 3

_Hogsmead is the village of excitement, first dates and good cheer. The streets are full of children giggling, spending money and warming up within the Three Broomsticks. Then you have the days when it's empty and quiet and two people are brought together by an act of twisted fate._

Hogsmead was quiet, a refreshing change from the usual business and bustling traffic that fills the streets on weekends. Hermione wasn't sure why she was walking through Hogsmead alone, she just was. There were certain aspects of Hogsmead that she enjoyed but couldn't spend all her time there on the weekends.

She couldn't find Harry or Ron and it was tearing her up inside. At first it didn't seem that important. She just assumed they were off somewhere causing trouble but the more time that past, the more she worried. Time was moving differently here, periods of her day were filled with black darkness. Sometimes she woke up and had no clue of how she got there. She was so lost and felt so small. She longed for a friendly face and for someone to make her feel at peace but all she got was Malfoy.

Something had drawn her towards Hogsmead, just as something had pulled her towards the lake that short time ago. It was as if an unknown force was manipulating her life.

"Are you following me?"

She jumped, the sneering voice of Draco Malfoy cutting into her like barbed wire.

"N-no," she stuttered.

"Then why are you always near me mudblood?"

She flinched at his words. She didn't understand why she was here. She hated him and he hated her. This wasn't friendship. This wasn't the start of something new. There was no love involved, just a funny sort of acceptance for something that didn't seem to be there.

"I don't know. I'm just here."

He glared at her murderously, "well I don't want you or your mudblood germs near me."

"Please," she whispered. "When I'm near you I don't feel so alone."

She was so close to tears. She didn't understand what was happening to her.

"I don't care mudblood," he shouted back but he sounded unsure.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. She didn't know why she was apologising to the enemy. It didn't make her feel good. How can one hate another so bad but still want to be in their presence. Whatever this was she hated it. She felt some sort of connection with Malfoy that was comforting. She hated it because she knew how disgusting he found her and how he didn't want her or her filthy muggle blood near him. It's just that she felt so alone when she wasn't near him and couldn't understand why should feel like that when she hated him so much.

"Go away," he said and she did.

-x-x-x-

The Hospital Part 4

_The obvious truth always hits you like a slap to the face. It makes you wonder why you didn't see it coming before. The questions you had in your head become pointless as the answers are given and you find yourself wondering how you could have been so stupid and how you missed such an obvious truth._

Hermione lay atop the bed, her knees bought up to her chest, her hands at her ankles, her eyes lost and confused. She'd just woken up here in the hospital wing. She had no idea how she'd got here. Last the she remembered was storming away from Malfoy in Hogsmead.

The hospital win looked just as she remembered. White walls, white floor, everything was kept in a perfect condition and light streamed in from every window. The place was spotless in an unnerving way. Hermione was the only occupant. The other beds lay empty and waited for patients that would never come.

Time was moving differently and she wondered if she were under a spell. The more she remained in the castle the less things made sense, she was unsure if she were even in the real castle. The longer she was here the more she gravitated towards Malfoy.

Speaking of Malfoy, he just walked in looking pale and gaunt. Whatever was troubling him was written all over his usually emotionless face. He gravitated towards her without even realising, his face void of the usual disgust.

Realising who he was nearing, he got ready to unleash a torrid of insults. However, he never got a chance as Hermione's attention was focused on something else. A mysterious woman had appeared before the two like an ethereal Goddess. Hermione was terrified but it seemed that Draco didn't recognise her. The logical part of Hermione's brain that had kept silent for so long was finally working again and in working it had already come to a difficult conclusion - a conclusion that was hard to explain.

The woman sat down before the two and explained some terrifying truths. Everything that had seemed unreal and confusing suddenly made sense. All the blackouts and missed memories were now explained, as was the reason Hermione couldn't find Harry or Ron.

Hermione and Draco sat in shock, they made no effort to move, nor did the ethereal Goddess. She remained still gazing between the two and showing a million emotions in her eyes. How difficult it was to give this news knowing that there was nothing to change it. It was in essence the hardest job to have – she did it well but it did not make the burden any less painful to bear.

Hermione and Draco starred at each other. They saw no difference, they expected to look different. The truth can change people but as they looked at each other they still saw the same hate, the same fears. It had changed nothing but given them a connection.

The strange acceptance between the two now made sense, like a common connection that couldn't be broken.

Their mutual hate had bought them together, in a place that had no logical meaning.

The truth had been revealed, as they say the curtain had been dropped as the final act had been played, yet with all this clarity things still remained unclear.

They were to be stuck now, until the final gauntlet was thrown down. As many already knew it could be forever until that happened, the two enemies would have to find a way to cope with the presence of each other for there was no escape from this truth however much they wished there could be.

-x-x-x-

The Garden Part 5 

_Much like the Room of Requirement, the Garden only appeared when there was a true need for it. The Sanctuary of Lost Souls. It helped clear the way to a peaceful existence._

The garden wasn't part of Hogwarts. It was its own piece of space like a lonely island isolated by trees and water. It was rare to find the garden; it didn't always appear, as it only came when it was most needed. However it was always the same when it appeared, it didn't change according to who sort it out – like the room or requirement did. It offered peace of mind and a sense of clarity for all those who entered. It showed things how they had been and how they were, allowing people to find their way when they were lost.

Hermione and Draco stood in the garden side by side, so close they were almost touching. The sun was starting to set and the view before them was breathtaking. It was like a scene from a rain forest or tropical garden. It soothed all who laid eyes upon it, like a lullaby sung by a Mother to a child.

It was so clear now it was a wonder they hadn't seen it before. The sense of completion, the absolutely perfectly built buildings that were different from what they remembered. The familiar faces they passed – always wondering if they were really seeing them or merely imaging them. The looks of pity on those faces were now imprinted on their minds, a constant reminder of where they were.

They never learnt how it had happened, if you didn't remember you weren't told. It seemed like a blessing but also acted as a curse, as they were left wondering what had happened. Their minds were now full of regret and guilt. Guilt because they knew they couldn't return and that was the hardest thing to cope with.

They now realised why time seemed irrelevant. There was no time here; the place was full of emptiness like a void. Time no longer mattered, not in a place like this. Everything here was to help you finish things up; everything had a reason here, there were no more unanswered questions once you'd learnt the truth. This was the page on which you stared anew. The choices of the past lay buried as you forged a new image for yourself, past deeds or mistakes bore no mark here.

Hermione and Draco were no longer Granger or Malfoy, the words they used to spar forgotten. They'd shed those childhood tendencies once the truth had been revealed. They stood and said nothing; there was no good feeling between them. She would always be a mudblood and he would always be a pureblood git. There was no love or friendship; it was merely Hermione and Draco standing together trying to feel some sort of connection.

They hated each other yet they tightly held hands because they knew it was the last thing they had left. This was the last step for them, the final hurdle. After this lay uncharted waters, a place the two enemies would face together.

As they sat high within the clouds, in a garden, watching the sun set the truth hit them at last. This was death; this was all that was left…


End file.
